American International University WEST AFRICA
Bacteriology Assignment
Submitted by: AWWAL ABDULHAMID Trimester-8 (01151353)
22-Jul-17
NEONATAL MENINGITIS
Neonatal meningitis is a life-threathening medical condition in infants. Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges (a protective membranous layer of the central nervous system) in the neonatal period. The most common causes of neonatal meningitis is bacterial infection of the blood:
• Group B Streptococci (GBS; Streptococcus agalactiae)
• Escherichia coli
• Listeria monocytogenes.
Regardless of the specific pathogen involved, neonatal meningitis is most often caused by vertical transmission during labor and delivery. It occurs few days following birth and is more common in premature infants than in term infants.
1.0. GROUP B STREPTOCCI (GBS) CAUSING NEONATAL MENIGITIS
1.1. CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES
Group B Streptococcus (GBS or Streptococcus agalactiae) is an encapsulated gram-positive diplococcus that colonizes the gastrointestinal and genital tracts of pregnant women. GBS colonization is usually asymptomatic. It is beta-hemolytic,
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TREATMENT AND CLINICAL MANAGEMENT
The only reliable way to prevent early onset neonatal menigitis currently is intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP), administration of antibiotics to the mother during delivery. It has been proved that intravenous penicillin or ampicillin administered for ≥4 hours before delivery to GBS colonized women are very effective at preventing vertical transmission of GBS from mother to baby. Cefazolin, clindamycin, and vancomycin are used in penicillin-allergic mothers.
Neonatal mortality is declining globally. According to UNICEF, worldwide neonatal mortality rate fell by 47 per cent between 1990 and 2015 from 36 to 19 deaths per 1,000 live births. Over the same period, the number of newborn babies who died within the first 28 days of life declined from 5.1 million to 2.7